The fifth Switchover festival announced its program

The fifth performing arts festival Switchover (or Ümberlülitus in Estonian) will take place from May 13th to 16th, 2026 in Tartu, Estonia.

Curated by the team of Kanuti Gildi SAAL, Switchover travels through the city, seeking for conversations that are yet to be held and doors yet to be opened. The program features earworm-melodies as well as breaks between rhythms, performative lectures on topics ranging from sexual health to different sauna cultures, a manifesto on why theatre sucks, and a production that takes place inside of a car.

Throughout four days, the audience is invited to performances by Norman Orro, Mihkel Maripuu, Viktoria Martjanova, Alex Franz Zehetbauer, Robin Täpp, Nele Tiidelepp, Kristina Norman, Maike Lond and Laura Kutkaitė / MMlab Theatre. In addition to performances, the program also features an event mixing literature and performing arts in collaboration with Prima Vista and Värske Rõhk, a workshop by Kristina Norman and Heneliis Notton and various discussions.

Five years ago, the festival came to life with a desire to spark up the contemporary performing arts scene in Tartu, simultaneously offering a variety of tastes. A festival that was initially like an annual visit has become the springtime office of Kanuti Gildi SAAL over those five years. In dialogue with the Tartu audience, Switchover has become an invaluable part of Kanuti Gildi SAAL’s activities and an annual opportunity to switch over together with the artists and audiences. To celebrate, the festival has planned deeply personal and absurdly humorous encounters in theatre spaces, bars and the streets of Tartu.

Events will take place in Elektriteater, Tartu New Theatre, Estonian National Museum, Heino Eller Music College, University of Tartu Institute of Psychology, Aparaaditehas and public space. Additionally, Switchover continues its collaboration with the University of Tartu theatre research students who are moderating artist talks at the festival.

Switchover is supported by the City of Tartu, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Prima Vista and Värske Rõhk.

Find the program here: https://saal.ee/en/festival/switchover-2026-3770/program/

In the photo: Alex Franz Zehetbauer in the performance “An Evening with”. Photo by Elsa Okazaki.